These Loaded Cheeseburger Bowls bring all the burger flavors you crave, but in salad form! With highly flavored seasoned ground beef on a bed of crisp lettuce, scattered with dill pickles, tomatoes, onions, and cheese plus a generous drizzle of burger sauce, this burger in a bowl is a healthier choice than a standard hamburger. Yet it still tastes amazing!
When you’re wanting a burger but watching your carbs or just looking for a healthier alternative, hamburger bowls to the rescue! Basically a deconstructed burger in a bowl, this Loaded Cheese Burger Bowl brings all the flavor – no bun required.
Lettuce wraps are great and all, but there’s no denying how messy they are! That’s why I am completely smitten with these Cheese Burger Bowls. These bunless burger bowls are a similar concept to lettuce wraps, but with burger bowls, everything stays neat and contained right in its bowl (and you can eat it easily with a fork!)
This burger bowl recipe is so easy to make and takes only 20 minutes. It makes an excellent protein-packed healthy lunch or dinner, and it’s perfect for meal prep too.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Lower in carbs – If you’re looking to reduce your carbohydrate intake but still craving delicious meals, these Cheese Burger Bowls are a great option! They’re gluten-free, too.
- High in protein – With 26 grams of protein per bowl, you’re guaranteed to feel satisfied and nourished after enjoying this burger bowl.
- Customizable – Leave out or add whatever you want to individual bowls. Perfect for when you have a picky eater in your bunch!
- 20-minute recipe – We all know that great meals that are ready in 20 minutes are gold, and this burger in a bowl recipe is no exception! They come together so quickly and easily.
Recipe Notes
This Cheeseburger Bowls recipe is as simple as promised! Just 20 minutes for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Burger Bowls to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
For the beef:
- Ground beef – 80/20 ground beef is great (just be sure to drain any excess fat), or leaner ratios work well in burger bowls too.
- Onion – Diced onion flavors the ground beef and tops the salad, too. I like to use yellow onion, but red onion is nice, too.
- Salt & pepper
- Garlic powder – I love using garlic powder to flavor ground beef because it adds wonderful garlic flavor without running the risk of burning while the ground beef cooks, like fresh garlic might. Plus, no mincing required!
For the sauce:
- Mayonnaise – Forms the creamy base of the sauce.
- Mustard – Standard yellow mustard works best.
- Relish – Sweet relish adds the perfect touch of flavor.
- Vinegar – A tiny amount of white vinegar adds a tangy touch.
- Seasonings – Smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
For the toppings:
- Lettuce – Crisp shredded iceberg lettuce forms the base of this hamburger bowl recipe.
- Cheese – I love to use American cheese for that classic cheese burger flavor. Shredded cheddar cheese is another great option.
- Tomatoes – Grape or cherry tomatoes, halved.
- Pickles – Sliced dill pickles make this taste just like a Big Mac burger bowl.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Bacon Cheese Burger Bowls– Crumble crisp slices of bacon over the top of each burger bowl.
- Jalapeño Ranch Cheeseburger Bowls– Swap the pickles for pickled jalapeños and drizzle with Jalapeño Ranch Dressing.
- Cheeseburger Bowls with Avocado– Add chopped ripe avocado to your cheese burger bowls (or try a generous scoop of guacamole!)
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Cheese Burger Bowls.
First, make the burger sauce. Add the sauce ingredients to a bowl.
Mix well until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Add the ground beef, 3/4 of the onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to a skillet.
Cook until the meat is cooked through and completely browned. Drain the beef and return it to the skillet.
Divide the lettuce between four bowls and top with the ground beef.
Top with cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and remaining onion. Drizzle burger sauce over the top.
Recipe Tips
- Use a salad spinner to dry your lettuce – After you’ve washed your lettuce, it’s important to dry it completely for the best-tasting, non-soggy bowl. Using a salad spinner is the best way to remove excess water, but blotting well with paper towels is a close second if you don’t have a salad spinner.
- Add the cheese directly to the warm ground beef – When building your bowl, top the ground beef with cheese to help it get deliciously melty.
- Don’t stir your ground beef too much when cooking – This will help the ground beef brown in places and develop a delicious caramelized crust that adds loads of flavor.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Burger bowl meal prep – These Cheese Burger Bowls make an excellent meal prep recipe! Cook and prep all of the elements ahead of time and store them separately in the fridge, then assemble before serving. Another option is to prep each burger bowl in individual meal prep containers. I recommend keeping the lettuce separate from the ground beef to help it stay crisp, and waiting to add the burger sauce until right before serving.
- Buy pre-chopped veggies – You can find pre-shredded lettuce and chopped onion in the produce section of most grocery stores.
What to Serve with Loaded Cheese Burger Bowls
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of traditional American cuisine, it will pair well with many of your favorite classic American side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Best Oven-Baked Potato Wedges
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad
- Easy Rotini Pasta Salad
- Oven-Roasted Vegetables
Cheese Burger Bowls Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month (I only recommend freezing the ground beef)
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Cheese Burger Roll-Up– Add 1/2 cup of the leftover ground beef to the middle of a large flour tortilla. Top with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, and pickles, then drizzle with leftover sauce. Roll up and enjoy.
- Cheese Burger Tacos– Stuff crisp taco shells with leftover ground beef mixture and top with a slice of American cheese. Add lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream.
- Cheese Burger Nachos– Spread tortilla chips on a large baking sheet and top with ground beef and shredded cheddar and/or pepper jack cheese. Bake until warmed through and the cheese is melted, then top with lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes plus a generous drizzle of leftover sauce.
Recipe FAQ’s
What type of meat is best for burger bowls?
You can use many type of meats (or even a meat substitute like veggie meat crumbles!) in this flexible burger bowls recipe. My favorite is the traditional ground beef.
What is the best cheese to melt on a burger?
American cheese is one of the most popular cheeses to melt on a hamburger, but cheddar or Swiss are also popular choices.
More EASY Ground Beef Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy beef recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Korean Beef Bowls
- Easy Beef and Broccoli
- Ground Beef Quesadillas
- 7 Layer Taco Casserole
- Cheeseburger Pasta
Loaded Burger Bowls
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped and divided
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ garlic powder
For the Sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
For the Toppings
- 16 ounces iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 4 slices American cheese, chopped into pieces
- 4 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup dill pickles, sliced
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, 3/4 of the chopped onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder over medium heat until the meat is cooked through and browned. Drain the beef, then return to the skillet and set aside.
- To make the sauce, combine the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, mustard, vinegar, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder and mix until evenly combined.
- Place 4 ounces of lettuce in the bottom of each bowl then add ¼ of the ground beef. Top with cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and remaining chopped onion. Finish bowls by drizzling burger sauce over the top.Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Ground beef: You can substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or even meatless crumbles for the ground beef if you like.
- Lettuce: Shredded Romaine lettuce is another crisp lettuce that tastes great in these burger bowls.
- American cheese: Cheddar, Swiss, or pepper jack are all great swaps.
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